All Black
by Timmy Sparx
Summary: Homura has promised herself that she will rewind time but once more, and attempt to save Madoka. But can she succeed? Or will she be stuck in this endless loop, forever? Written in celebration of my birthday!


**A/N: I am writing this in celebration of my birthday. This is very fluffy but it's also sad in some parts. So without further ado, ENJOY, if you dare.**

Homura sat, on the blood and tear stained ground, crying her heart out to the heavens.

"Madoka. No Madoka, don't leave me again."

"H-Homura-Chan."

"M-Madoka." Wailed the ebony.

"Hush, don't cry Homura-Chan."

But how could she not, she had failed again. Walpurgisnacht had gone down in flames. But the price, the price had been her Madoka, again.

"Madoka, don't leave me."

"There, there." Said Madoka in a comforting voice. "Everything will be OK."

"How can it? HOW Madoka? How can I have a happy ending, if you're not there to share it? How? How? HOW?" Homura was screaming by the end of it, and then she broke down again, and sobbed into the pink haired girls chest.

"Homura-Chan, look at me."

Homura looked up and Madoka breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you. I just wanted to see your eyes again, one last time."

"Madoka, no!"

"I'm sorry Homura-Chan, this is how it is, this is how it will always be."

"It doesn't have to be. I could go back. Do it over."

"Homura-Chan, you are killing yourself. It isn't right."

"But if it's for you…"

"No Homura-Chan." Said Madoka firmly. "It isn't right. You can't do this anymore. You have to end it now. Don't go back again, not for me."

"Madoka I can't."

"You can! You must!" Madoka smiled. "I want you to be happy Homura-Chan, with or without me."

"There is no happiness for me without you."

"That isn't true. You can be happy, Homura-Chan. You are an amazing person, if you set your mind to it, you can accomplish anything."

"Madoka."

"I love you Homura-Chan." Her breath caught in her throat, and she knew it was the end for her. "Can I make one last request? Homura-Chan."

"Anything!"

Madoka smiled. "Kiss me." She said. "One last thing to remember me by."

"Madoka, I."

"Come on Homura-Chan, you know you want to." Joked Madoka.

Homura, her face shining with tears, her body covered in scratches and bruises, leaned in towards Madoka. Their lips made contact, and for About thirty seconds, or it might have been three hours, or several, long, days, they remained connected. Homura and Madoka broke apart and Madoka smiled.

"I'm… Happy." She said.

And then she was gone.

Homura began to cry. And once she started, she could not stop. She howled into the night, but nobody was listening, no one cared. She cried, and cried, and cried, until she was sure her lungs would burst. When she could cry o more, she fell back, into the pool of water behind her, and sat there, sobbing her heart out. Eventually, she was able to regain enough control of herself to open her eyes.

Homura looked down at her wrist, and saw the familiar sight of her shield. The amethysts that played their way across it face. The runic carvings around the edges that represent all time. And the mechanism which enabled her to reset time.

"_I can't live without you, Madoka. I just can't. So, please, forgive me for doing this."_

She placed her hand on the shield, and started to turn it, counter clockwise.

And in the last moments of that timeline, she stared at her best friends still body. And spoke.

"Forgive me. Madoka."

* * *

Homura woke in the familiar hospital ward. She felt defeated, betrayed. She was a wreck, her emotional state had degraded to another level. She was jumpy, and angry with everyone, and she felt she might break down and cry at any moment.

She was dismissed from the hospital. She left with the same air of purpose as she had every other time. On the outside she seemed as cool, and calculating as ever. But on the inside, she was destroyed. Her last experience had been particularly traumatic, she had come so close, but victory, as always, eluded her. And the kiss.

"_Focus Homura."_

* * *

"Class we have a new transfer student joining us today. Would you like to introduce yourself?"

"I am Homura Akemi. It is a pleasure to meet you all."

She moved on to her seat, directly behind the pink haired girl in the third row. She caught Madoka's eye as she walked past, and the blush shot up her cheeks. Normally this would have caused Homura to smile, but her mind would not work in that way anymore. She only had one purpose, protect Madoka, no matter the cost. She was less focused on her school work; she did not perform to her usual standards in PE. At the lunch hour she headed straight for the pinkette.

"Kaname-san, you are the health officer for this class, correct?"

"I… I… Yes I am."

"Could you please show me the way to the nurse's office."

"I… um of course."

"Madoka. Listen to me and listen well. Do you value your life."

"I… of course I do."

"And what about your family, and friends? Do you hold them dear?"

"I… Yes."

Homura inhaled deeply, and stepped towards Madoka. She grasped the other girl's shoulders firmly, and stared into her bright pink eyes.

"Listen to me carefully." She said in a hushed voice. "Later on today, you will meet someone. Someone who will promise you a miracle. Whatever you do, no matter what, you must not give in to temptation. You must remain; you must always remain the same as you are now. Just you. Just Madoka Kaname. Nothing more."

She left Madoka standing there, looking confused, and slightly scared.

* * *

She chased the white cat down an aisle. She aimed her glock and fired.

"_Crap! Missed it."_

She slid across two more aisles and finally cornered the white rat.

"You will never get her. Incubator!" She screamed, and blew the creature to hell.

"It never seems to sink in, does it?" Said a voice behind her.

"_Here we go again." _

She spun on her heel and let loose a spray of bullets. She missed. The chase was on again. She followed the creature, it went into the vents. She emptied another magazine, but judging by the scratching, still going on in the vent, she had missed her target.

"_It can't reach her. Not again."_

She rounded the corner. And skidded to a halt. Madoka was there. And so was Kyubey.

"H-Homura-Chan. What?"

"Hand him over."

"I don't understand!"

"Give him to me, he needs to die."

"NO! I can't let you hurt him."

"You must! It's the only way I can protect y…"

She stopped; the air around her had suddenly thickened. The room had darkened, and strange creatures were appearing all around them.

"_NO! Not here. Not now."_

* * *

"Mami-san is dead."

"This is the fate that awaits all magical girls."

"That can't be true! There must be another way!"

"There is no other way. I have seen it far too often."

Madoka fell to her knees, sobbing.

"WHY! Why does it have to be like this?"

Homura stared down at the girl.

"_Why is it always like this?"_

Homura flipped her hair back.

"This is the way it has to be." She said "This is the way it will always be. No matter how many times I try."

Madoka looked up through the haze of tears. Her face was so miserable that what was left of Homura's heart broke.

"Homura. Wh-What do you…"

"Goodbye Kaname-san."

And she walked off.

* * *

"Get her out of here!" Yelled Kyouko. "I'll take care of this."

Homura did not speak. She simply nodded. She swept Madoka up, and carried her, bridal style, out of the witch's barrier. She took one last look at the monster that was once Sayaka Miki, and the redheaded girl that stood facing it. And then the two disappeared behind an archway.

"WHY? Why does it always end like this?"

Madoka was broken. She sat on the floor in front of the ebony girl, crying into the night.

Homura could not stand to watch. She turned away.

"You were foolish to ever venture into her barrier."

"I had to try."

"Even though you were destined to fail?" Said Homura. "Why? Why won't you just let me protect you?"

"Homura-Chan…"

"You should get back to your family."

"No!" The girl surprised Homura. "I want to stay here with you."

Homura sighed, and a tear rolled down her cheek.

"You can't." she said.

And walked off.

* * *

*knock*knock*knock*

Homura opened the door. Standing there, in her doorway, was an incredibly wet, Madoka.

She attempted to smile. "Hi Homura-Chan. Can… Can I come in."

Homura sighed. "Yes."

She opened the door further to allow Madoka through. Madoka walked in.

"Make yourself at home." Said Homura indifferently.

Madoka sat down on one of the circular couches. She felt a bit embarrassed about being so wet, but Homura seemed not to care.

Homura walked over, and sat opposite the pink haired girl.

Madoka looked at the holographic projections that covered the most part of the apartment walls.

"Is that it? Is that Walpurgisnacht?"

Homura nodded.

"If it's true it's coming to town soon. Then you will be the only one left to face it.

"Yes."

"Will you be able to? Kyouko-Chan said that it was too tough for either of you to face alone."

"Sakura-san could not have faced it alone. I can."

"I want to believe you Homura-Chan." Said Madoka. "But I'm just too afraid of losing you. Like I lost everyone else."

Homura's breath caught. And she stood up.

"Listen to me Madoka. Whatever happens, you must not become a magical girl. I have been fighting to stop you from the beginning. But I always fail. No matter how many times I try."

"Homura-Chan?"

"My wish, right from the beginning, was to protect you from your fate. But I always fail. So this time, I beg of you, let me protect you."

"Homura-Chan." Madoka was on her feet too now. "I can't just let you face it alone. You'll be killed. And I just couldn't stand that. What if you became like Sayaka."

"If I died knowing that I had protected you. I would have no reason to despair."

"Homura-Chan! Please let me protect you."

"NO!" Homura screamed.

She ran over to Madoka, and pulled her into an embrace.

"No matter what happens. No matter the cost. I will protect you, Kaname-san."

"Homura…"

But Madoka could not finish. For seized by a sudden urge, Homura had seized the pink haired girl. And kissed her.

Startled by the reality of what she was doing, Homura pulled away.

"Kaname-san. I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

"What?"

Madoka licked her lips. "It was nice." She said.

"Madoka, I have to tell you now, just in case I don't get the chance later."

"It's okay. I understand."

"How can you?" Homura said. And then she broke down. "I love you Madoka. I always have. Since the beginning."

"Homura-Chan." Said Madoka, lifting the other girl head to face her. "Don't cry. I don't want to see you unhappy."

And she kissed Homura. They did not move, just sat there, lips connected.

When they eventually pulled away Homura said, "Madoka, please promise me, promise me you won't try to help me. Let me protect you."

"Homura, I can't promise you anything like that." Said Madoka. She leaned closer. "But I can promise you, no matter what, we will both survive this, and then we can be together forever."

* * *

The explosion rocked Homura's body, and she experienced the momentary feeling of falling. She regained her stature and stared down the barrel of her gun at her opposition. She could not afford mistakes now, another hit like that and she was a goner.

"_Finish this for Madoka."_

She gritted her teeth and pulled the trigger. A volley of high calibre bullets tore through the air, but glanced harmlessly off the witch's side.

She pulled and RPG from her shield, and aimed the launcher down range at the witch, and pulled the trigger. The rocket exploded on contact and shook the witch badly, but the witch acted as though nothing had happened, and instead responded with a volley of energy pulses. Homura deflected the projectiles and pulled a grenade from her shield. She hurled it down range and watched as it bounce one, twice, three times against the witch's side, and exploded.

The witch, however, continued its onslaught, and did not halt as Homura continued to bombard it with bullets, rockets and grenades.

She screamed in desperation as she saw her attacks having no effect on the witch.

"_Damn it! What does it take to kill this thing?"_

She continued her attacks, searching it for a weak spot, a soft point, a way inside it. She had all but given up hope when she saw something, something that she had never seen in her many battles against Walpurgis before. The gigantic gears inside the witch provided a way inside it.

She did not waste any time, the beast was approaching the storm shelter, and Madoka. She flew right up to it, and manoeuvred between the gigantic gears. She set down inside the beast, its insides were pure white. And at the centre, the grief seed. The seed was huge; at least three times her own size.

She saw movement out of the corner of her eye. She spun to face the newcomer, and saw a girl. The girl had long, black hair, tied back in dual piggy tails. Her skin was pale, and she was crouched on the floor, naked, vulnerable.

"Are you okay?" Said Homura.

The girl did not answer, so Homura stepped closer.

"How did you get here? I can help you get out."

But as Homura drew nearer, suspicions about the girl started to arise in her mind. How did she get here? What was she here for? And why did she seem so familiar?

Then Homura stopped in her tracks, the girl had turned her face towards her. Her eyes were bright purple, and she wore red rimmed glasses.

"Y-You're." Homura stammered.

The girl just stared back.

"You… You're, m-me."

The girl's lips curled into an evil smile, her skin started to bubble. She began to melt, her body, now deformed, and started to take a new shape. She reformed, but she was no longer a she.

In the place where the girl had stood, was a tall, black hooded figure. In one hand it held a roll of parchment, in the other, a cruel looking scythe.

The figure raised the scythe and swiped at Homura. The ebony barely dodged the attack, and countered with a grenade. The creature, whatever it was, simply swung its scythe, and dispatched the grenade in a second. Homura dodged another of its attacks, and pulled out a machine gun. She emptied a full magazine into the figure, but it spun its scythe and the bullets ricocheted off in all directions.

Homura and the figure stood, locked in combat, neither landing a hit on the other, but the hooded figure saw that Homura was weakening. Homura saw it too, she knew that she could not keep up the fight much longer, she was weak, her powers were greatly depleted.

"_So this is it. The end."_ Thought Homura. _"Just as I discover a way to kill it for good, it kills me."_

She battled on, and her soul gem grew darker with each attack. Her vision became hazy, her movements became slurred, and her breathing became laboured. The monster, sensing weakness, swung its scythe. Homura felt the cold steel make contact with her side, she saw the blood spray from her side, and she saw the figure looming over her. It raised a skeletal hand, and lowered its hood.

She would rather have seen something rotten, disgusting, stomach churning. Instead, what she saw was many times more horrifying. The experience of seeing her own face, looming over her, preparing a body that was not hers, to deliver a fatal blow to her, was far worse than anything she could have imagined.

There was a flash of pink light, a fizz, a bang, and silence.

* * *

Homura awoke; she was lying on something, something white, and fluffy. She sat up.

"_A cloud. I'm on a cloud."_

"Welcome, Homura-Chan."

She jumped, and realised she was naked. She hastily attempted to cover herself, this aroused a giggle from the newcomer, it was a sound sweeter than the sweetest music.

She turned, and saw a tall figure, in a white, flowing dress. She had long pink hair, and golden eyes.

"M-Madoka?" Said Homura uncertainly.

"Yes Homura-Chan, it's me."

Homura was up in a second; she raced over and threw her arms around the angel.

"Madoka, where are we?"

"We are where ever you want to be." Replied the angel.

"What does that mean?"

"Well, what do you want it to mean?"

Homura thought for a moment. "I have always wanted to see Rome." She said.

Instantly the cloudscape transformed into the bustling streets of Rome.

Homura felt instantly embarrassed. "Madoka! I'm not wearing anything."

Madoka giggled. "Silly Homura, no one can see you but me."

"But it feels weird, there are people everywhere."

Madoka sighed. "Okay then."

She snapped her fingers, and Homura was clothed, in white, just like Madoka.

They walked down the street together. Or rather, Homura walked, while Madoka flew.

"Madoka, what happened?"

"You were injured; I saved you from the witch."

"But, the witch was, me."

"No!" Exclaimed Madoka. "That creature was not you. It simply took your shape, to terrify you, and make you miserable."

"Oh." Homura thought for a moment. "Madoka." She said eventually. "Why am I here?"

"I wanted to give you a choice. Stay here, in this world with me, or go back to earth and be with me."

"I'll stay!"

Madoka smiled. "I thought you might say that. But I can assure you Homura, if you follow through with that, you will one day regret it."

"What do you mean?"

"My wish was to reverse the transformation process, and prevent Magical Girls from becoming witches. If you stay, it's odds on you will not see me very often."

"I don't care! If I stay we can spend forever together."

"But if you go, you will spend forever with me anyway."

"But what if I can't save you?"

"You won't have to." Madoka leaned close to the ebony haired girl. "I will send you back to a world with no witches, no magic. You won't have to protect me anymore; I will be there, just not in this form."

"But Madoka."

"Hush. I promise you, even if you don't remember me, I will always watch over you."

"Will it really be you?"

"Yes. It will be me, and so will I."

Homura inhaled deeply. "O-Okay, I'll go."

"Wait! Here is one last thing to remember me by."

Madoka held out her hand. Resting atop her palm, were her two red ribbons.

Homura took them in her hands.

"Goodbye Homura-Chan."

"Madoka! Wait!"

"Go on Homura, you can do it, you can do anything."

"How will I recognise you?" She said.

Madoka giggled again.

"Oh... Um… I'll be the one with the ribbons and the smile." She said.

* * *

Homura awoke with a start. She lay there under the sheets for several minutes, staring at the ceiling. Then she sighed

"_Just a dream."_ She thought.

She reached over to grab her glasses, and her hand brushed against something. She located her glasses, slipped them on, and turned to her bedside table. Sitting there, on the table, were the ribbons that the girl from her dream had given her.

"_Maybe not, just a dream."_

* * *

Homura sat in her usual seat, hidden behind a cluster of bushes, away from prying eyes. She was wearing the red ribbons that she had found.

"Excuse me." The voice made Homura jump.

She looked around, and saw a pink haired girl standing there.

"Would you mind if I sat here."

"No, it's okay."

The girl sat, and the two girls ate their lunches in silence.

Then, Madoka spoke. "It has taken me a while to find you, Homura-Chan."

Homura dropped her sandwich. She stared at the girl, and slowly the memories started to come back to her.

"M-Madoka?"

"Yes Homura-Chan, it's me."

They stared into each other's eyes for several moments. The Madoka started to edge closer to Homura on the seat.

"I promised you, before you left, that we would be together." She said. "Well here I am Homura-Chan. The others are here too, Sayaka-Chan, and Kyouko-Chan, and Mami-san. They are all alive. And so am I."

Madoka frowned. "Homura-Chan, are you okay?"

Homura raised her head. Her face was stained with tears, not tears of sadness, but tears of joy.

"Madoka, you're here, with me."

"Yes Homura-Chan."

Homura smiled, it was a rare sight, and comparably one of the most beautiful sights in the known world.

"Madoka." She said. "I want to love you, from now til the end of time."

"Well then." Said the pinkette, in a mischievous voice. "Why don't we start now?"

**~END~**

**A/N: Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You're far too kind! I just was gripped with the sudden urge to write something with a happy ending. I like the stories which seem to be all badness right up until the last minute when it's all good and happy ^_^ Please RxR, I get energy from reviews more than apples! **

**Til we meet again, may all your dreams be good ones.**

**Sparx out**


End file.
